An Edinburgh piper has told about his plans to busk his away across the United States.

Rob Calder, 32, will fly into New York on 9 June to spend six weeks travelling across the continent.

He will rely on the kindness of Scots living there and people of Scottish descent to put him up on his journey.

The piper, who will wear his kilt during his travels, hopes to take in Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and Colorado.

He plans to finish his trip in California in late July.

He is hoping to attract the attention of locals as well as Scots abroad during the year of Homecoming Scotland celebrations.

Mr Calder said: "I'm going to take my pipes and busk across the States. I'm hopefully going to rely on Americans with Scottish links to help me out, whether that be food or accommodation or just hospitality.

"I've always taken my pipes abroad when I've gone to rugby tours and things like that so I thought I would take them to the States because I know the kind of reaction they would get.

"I was thinking, what could I do for Homecoming and thought this was a great opportunity to go and play the pipes and talk to people about Scotland."

"I don't claim to be the best piper in the world. Bagpipes are not the easiest thing to play so I thought this would be a great chance to mix travel and some practice. I've been to the US before so I know the reaction a Scottish accent gets.

"I already have a list of contacts to tap into and I've given myself six weeks. I land in New York and finish in San Francisco. I'll spend quite a bit of time in Texas because there are a lot of Scots there.

"I was thinking, what could I do for Homecoming, and thought this was a great opportunity to go and play the pipes and talk to people about Scotland."

Janie, if you haven't already made contact, just click on the link provided in the first posting. To the right he has a link to his own website, where you can make contact. You can even plant an icon in your location in the US, so he can plan.

He's already contacted Jan and me and we've e-mailed him back. He already has some stops taken care of, but I'm sure he'd be glad to hear from anybody interested in helping. He's in the process of planning.

Thanks Kat and Ron. His route map didn't give interstate route numbers, but it looks to me like his North Carolina route may take him 60-70 miles west of where I live. However, I sent a message offering accomodations if he needs them.

i mentioned this to a piper from Chico California if that is an area he might be in....this was an Illean piper (irish, elbow bellows) so maybe not similar enough genre....to be of interest...for either of them??

Me ......... yielding to the temptation to wander briefly off-thread in order to be just a wee bit pedantic >>>>> The correct spelling for the Irish instrument is "UILEANN" Pipes, but it IS pronounced exactly as Open Mike has spelled it (the U is silent !). The word comes from the Irish language and can translate either as "elbow", or as "angle", so Open Mike was also correct in the reference to elbow. It is is one of my favourite instruments to listen to especially when an Uileann piper plays a slow air and uses the regulators to full effect to achieve wonderful harmonies. I don't envy Rob Calder's ambition to wear his kilt while traversing America in the heat of the North American Summer time. With three layers of wool between him and the outside world, he will swelter from the waist down !! My late husband wore a Cornish kilt and used to comment that "traditional underwear" was completely inadequate for ventilation purposes in hot weather ! His solution to the problem was to purchase a light weight kilt for summer and I wonder if anyone has suggested this to Rob Calder ? However, I wish Rob all the very best and hope that he is extended the best of American hospitality at all points along his journey and that the weather will be kind to him. LOL

a search did not bring up the thread where we discussed this earlier. A fellow from scotland was to busk across U.S. with a bagpipe. http://www.bagpipebusker.com/ he may be in the d.c. area now.. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bagpipe-Busker/78040462833